Road-paving apparatus.



J. MUGICA.

ROAD PAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9,1914. I 1,263,272. I Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

FSHEETS-SHEET 1.

L Mr 1 S E glca. WITNESSES INYENTOR (h y of A BY r ATTORNEY J. MUGICA.

,ROAD PAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLED JULY 9,19I4- Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

1 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

g, a s a U v A JMugnca.

INVENTOR moans! J; MUGICA.

ROAD PAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9. 1914.

1,263,272. Patented Apr. 16, 1918;.

' 7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. M ugaco.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 1. MUGICA. w ROAD PAVING APPARATUS APPLICATION menJULY 9. l914-' V Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

2 sums-swan 4 WITNESSES J. MUGICA.

ROAD PAVING APPARATUS;

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9.1914.

Patented Apr, 16; 1912 7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WITNESSES J. M UGICA.

ROAD PAVING,APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 9.1914. l,%63,2?%, Patented Apr. 16, 1918p '1sums suser a. I

J. Mugla.

INJENTOR m ATTOR EY,

JUAN MUGICA, OF SAN SABASTIAN, SPAIN.

ROAD-PAVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed July 9, 1914. Serial No. 850,064.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, JUAN MUGIOA, a subject of the King of Spain, andresiding at No. 9 Calle Miracruz, San Sabastian, Spain, have invented acertain new and useful Road-Paving Apparatus, of which the following isa specification.

The present invention has for its object to facilitate the paving ofroads, court-yards or the like with asphalt or asphalt substitute moreparticularly in countries where the said material is cheap.

The essential features of the present invention is a machine, eitherstationary or portable which enables the manufacturing of strips orslabs of compressed asphalt or the like material, reinforced ornon-reinforced with iron wire, rope, catgut or the like of any length orwidth desired, the strips or slabs being of large surface where by thepaving can be done more rapidly, better and at a lower cost than is thecase with the old processes employed.

The output of the said new machine or press is several times greaterthan that of any other press known and its running costs very small,thus enabling the above described paving material to be produced at acomparatively very low price.

This new paving has the same advantage as that obtained with thecommonly used small sized compressed squares or slabs, since the stripof asphalt may be made of any desired strength or hardness by subjectingit to a pressure, recognized in practice, as suitable and varying from400 to 1000 kilograms per square centimeter, or more, and moreover, ithas the advantage of constituting large inonoliths and of obviating aneedless number of pieces and joints.

The strips or slabs may vary in width from one to several yards,according to the width of the compressing mold. The length of the stripsdepends upon the requirements, since the production of the strip ofasphalt is continuous and is only stopped intentionally or by reason ofan accident.

The reinforcement is disposed lengthwise and crosswise, since its mainobject resides in preventing breakage, which, on placing the strip ofslabs of asphalt in position, may occur in the strip or slabs by roughmanipulation thereof, the use of this reinforcement, in certain cases,may be dispensed with, especially that in transverse direction,

iand sometimes also in longitudinal direc- To position the reinforcedstrips or slabs of compressed asphalt, it is sufficient to prepare a bedof concrete upon which the said strips or slabs are set in position andif more adhesion between the strips or slabs and the concrete bed ispreferred, this may be spread over with a thin coating of fluid cementmortar before positioning the strip or slab.

To this end and in accordance with the invention, a machine or press ashereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings isprovided and constructed.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the more inportant side of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the other side;

Fig. 8 is a plan view on section line AB; Fig. 4 is a vertical andlongitudinal sec tion on the line O l).

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the compression mold, which constitutesthe essential part of the machine or press; it also shows in detailother parts of the mechanism of said machine.

Fig. 6 is a vertical and longitudinal section of the same mold taken onthe line CD of Fig. 3; 1

Fig. 7 is a section of one half of the mold on the line EF and Fig. 8 isa section of one half of the mold, taken on the line GI-I.

Fig. 9 is a straight flat iron bar for cut ting the strips of asphalt.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 show in detail the es sential and fundamental partsof the mechanism; the remainder of the mechanism being subjecttomodifications which do not influence the fundamental principle of theinvention.

Themachine or press comprises the following parts:

A strong iron frame 1. which carries at one end an electric motor 2,which by means of gearing transmits its movement to shaft 3 which, inits turn does the same to the crank shaft 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The crank shaft 4 which, by means of the connecting rods 5 imparts areciprocating movement to the carriage (i, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

A compressing piston 7 is firmly fixed to the above carriage by means ofbolts.

The bottom plate or base 8 of the compressing 'mold, constitutes thebottom and side walls or faces of the compression mold and has a faceplate 8 which can be interchanged when worn down.

The top or cover plate 9 of the mold is firmly secured to the bottomplate by the screw bolts 0.

The rocking plate 10, contained in said top or cover plate constitutesthe top wall or face of the compression mold, the front edge of which isbeveled at Z) as shown in Fig. 6.

The distance pieces 11 may be adjusted between the plates 8 and 9 forvarying the distance between the rocking plate and the bottom plate orbase of the mold.

The screws 12 are for varying the inclination of the rocking plate withregard to the bottom plate or base of the mold.

The shaft 13 is by means of a pulley 13 and belt 72 directly set inmotion by the motor 2, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The friction pulleys 14c and 15 which are alternatively set in motion bycontact with the pulley 13 which is fixed on to the opposite end of theshaft 13 as shown in Fig. 1.

The plate 16, is suspended from shaft 18 and is controlled by lever 20;said plate carries the friction pulleys 1 1 and 15 which by means ofpinions work the toothed wheel 17 which, in its turn and by means of theshaft 18 and its endless screws 18 drives the gear wheels 19, which gearwheels are firmly fixed to and work the screws 12 as shown in Fig. 5.

21 is a hopper at the bottom of which is placed the grooved cylinder 22for distributing or feeding asphalt powder or the like material, whichcylinder is mounted upon the shaft 28 and rotated by the ratchet wheel24c and pawl 2 1 pivoted on an arm which is operated by a rod 25connected to the bell crank arm 26 which bell crank is actuated by therotating arm 27 fixed to the end of the crank shaft 4, and by the springin dashpot 28.

The shaft is fitted with blades 22, the rotation of which is combinedwith that of the feeding cylinder 22 by means of the gear wheels 58 and59. The blades engage in the grooves of the distributing or feedingcylinder 22, thereby removing the asphalt powder from said grooves.

The toothed lever 29 is provided for limiting the course of the ratchetwheel 24: and pawl 2& said lever being fixed to one end of the shaft 2 fto the other end of which is fixed the stop arm 29, as shown in Figs. 1and 2.

I The transverse wire magazine 81 with its wire distributer 32 is drivenby lever and pawl 33'which lever is actuated by an inclined plane 34fixfe'd on the reciprocating carriage 6, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

--The'loi'igitudin aliron wire magatine or carrier 35 carries the rollsof wire the ends of which are passed under the guiding pulleys 36 andover the pulleys 37, under the piston guide 38 and through wire guidingchannels ending in holes with which the compressing piston 7 isprovided, into the compression mold, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. Saidwires, constituting the longitudinal reinforcement of the compressedstrip or slabs produced, may be substituted by a rope, catgut'or thelike.

The plate or blade 39 is, for flattening the asphalt powder delivered bythe grooves of the feeding cylinder, which plate or blade is actuated bya spring tO at one end and by a lever e1 fixed at the other end, asshown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4c.

The cam 42 is fitted with a toothed wheel e2 similar to another toothedwheel 4L2 fixed on the shaft and is set in motion by the said shaft bymeans of a chain as shown in Fig. 2. Said cam on striking the lever 41rotates the plate or blade 39 and holds it in the position shown inFigs. 4 and 6, to allow the asphalt to be emptied in front of the inletorifice of the mold. A switchboard etet is fitted with an ammeter and avoltmeter or a wattmeter to indicate the power consumed by the motor, asshown in Fig. 1.

A platform l3 forms the seat for the conductor who operates the machineand controls all driving means, viz: the rheostat 30, the toothed lever29 for regulating the distribution of the asphalt, the switchboard asindicating the power consumed at each compression and the lever 20serving to increase or diminish the pressure in the mold, the transverseiron wires, the rolls for the longitudinal iron wires, and the hopperfor the asphalt powder, as shown in Fig. 1. Another platform 16 permitsof refilling the hopper 21 with asphalt powder.

The hopper 21 is fitted with two inclosing chambers 54, 55 while thepipes bordering upon the latter, are fitted with gas burners 66, 67which serve to heat this portion of the apparatus.

The distribution cylinder 22 likewise is hollow and incloses a pipe withburners 68.

A reservoir 56 containing compressed gas is suspended from the end ofthe carriage and through the intermediary of a conduit communicates withthe pipes hereinbefore referred to.

A plate 57 of sheet iron forms an extension of the machine and serves assupport for the asphalt as it is discharged from the compression mold,as shown in Figs. 1-4.

In some cases when very large surfaces or long roads are to be paved,the machine or press may be built to be portable to produce thecompressed asphalt strip on the spot wh'ereitis to be employed. Meansare then also provided for all'owingthe strip to be deposited on theroad direct from the machine as it is being turned out and for the ma-'Such a machine is shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and comprises in addition tothose already enumerated, the following parts:

Four wheels 60-47 which support the frame are mounted on rails 61facilitating the displacement and the automatic movement of the machine.The front wheels 17 are mounted upon fork like supports 62 fixed to avertical axle, thus allowing of imparting a turning movement to them.The supports 62 are fitted with worm wheels 48 driven by a screw axle49, which is rendered operative with the aid of a crank handle andpermits of turning the vehicle to change the direction as shown in Figs.1 and 2. The rear axle supports the wheels 60 mounted thereon. To theend of this axle is fixed a toothed wheel 63.

A drum or cylinder 51, the axle of which is supported by two arms 52 andtwo screws 53, presses against the strip of asphalt produced by themachine and by means of a gear 64 and chain 65 transmits its movement tothe toothed wheel 63 of the rear axle 50, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and4.

The rings 53 of the screws 53 are made of caoutchouc so that thepressure of the latter be more constant.

The machine or press is started as follows According to the thickness ofthe strip or slabs to be manufactured, the required additional distancepieces 11 are inserted between the top or cover plate 9 and the bottomplate or base 8 of the compression mold and the screw bolts 0 are thenfirmly screwed fast. A compressing piston 7 of the correspondingthickness is bolted on the reciprocating carriage 6 and the piston guide38 accurately adjusted to said piston.

The rolls of longitudinal wires, rope, catgut or the like, are placed onthe magazine carrier 35 and their ends passed under the pulleys 36 andover the pulleys 37, under the piston guide 38 and through the wireguiding channels ending in holes, with which the compressing piston 7 isprovided, as shown in Fig. 4. The wires diverging from the said pistonare conveniently attached to a plank of hard wood placed in front of theinlet orifice of the compression mold and ready to be forced into sameby the first forward stroke of the compressing piston 7. The plank mustbe slightly thicker than the strip or slabs of compressed asphalt to beproduced.

Wires are then placed in the transverse wire magazine 31 to feed thewire distributer 32, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4:-

The gas burners 6667 of the inclosing chambers of the hopper and those68 of the inner cavity of the distributer 22 are then lighted in such amanner, as to obtain, before starting the machine, a sulficiently hightemperature to prevent the cooling of the asphalt powder, as shown inFig. 4:. The asphalt powder as prepared in the ordinary way in asphaltboilers, is let into the hopper while still warm. v The machine or pressworks in the following manner: I

The conductor or operator of the machine starts the electric motor 2,which'by means of gearing drives the crank shaft 4: at a speed of say 15to 20 revolutions per minute which, in its turn and by means of theconnecting rods 5 and reciprocating carriage 6, to which is firmlybolted the compressing piston 7, drives said piston at equal number ofstrokes. At the first forward stroke, the plank of hard wood M is forcedinto the mold and jammed or wedged between the walls or faces thereof.

To introduce the powder, the conductor pulls the toothed lever 29 towardhim with the result that said lever'disengages the pawl 24? and thusenables the latter to run its full course. -At each turn of the crankshaft and during the backstroke of the compressing piston, the rotatingarm 27 strikes the bell crank arm 26 which actuates, by means of the rod25, the ratchet and pawl 2 1 and 24, thus turning the grooved asphaltfeeding cylinder 22 to the extent of four grooves. Said cylinder, inturning and being connected by the gear wheels 58 and 59 (Fig. 2) to theshaft fitted with blades 22 causes the latter also to rotate. The bladesthus engagmg in the grooves, remove the asphalt powder from said fourgrooves and empty the powder into the space between the inletorifice ofthe compression mold and the compressing piston, the powder flatteningplate or blade 39 being held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by the cam42 shown in Fig. 2.

The cam is so set that during the forward stroke of the piston saidcam-releases the lever 41 fixed to the flattening plate or blade 39which, actuated by a spring 40, drops and flattens down the asphaltpowder emptied from the grooves of the distributing or feeding cylinderand holds said powder in place (Figs. 2 and 3).

The piston 7 in its forward stroke. pushes the above said asphalt powderinto the compression mold, compresses it against the plank of hard woodM already forced into said mold (Figs. 4: and 6) until the resist anceopposed by said plank is overcome, and the said plank together with themass of compressed asphalt forced farther into the mold. At each pistonstroke the operation is repeated.

The longitudinal wires are carried along with the wooden plank and thusadvance with it and remain embedded in the mass of compressed asphalt.At every forward stroke of the piston, th transverse wire distributer 32advances to the extent of one notch, said notch carrying therein a wire,the length of which corresponds to the width of the mold. hen thecarriage advances, the inclined plane 34. operates a lever having a pawlmounted thereon, which engages in the notch or teeth in the wiredistributer and rotates the same.

From this it follows that at every forward stroke of the piston a wireis dropped into the chute 69, drops on to the piston and is placedbehind the blade 39, as shown in Figs. .L5.

lVhen the piston returns, the wire falls owing to gravity, upon thelongitudinal wires and when the piston advances again, it pushes thiswire forward together with the asphalt powder, where the wire remainsembedded at the moment of compression.

After a series of piston strokes, the mold will be completely filledwith a mass of compressed asphalt reinforced with longitudinal andtransverse wires, and, as the production goes on, said mass will bedischarged at the outlet orifice of said mold in the form of a strip ofreinforced compressed asphalt.

Since the wooden plank M merely serves the purpose of offering aninitial resistance to the mass of asphalt for starting the operation, itmay be removed by cutting the ends of the wires as soon as thecompressed asphalt appears at the discharging end of the mold.

When the strip of compressed asphalt turned out has attained therequired length, the supply or feed of asphalt powder is stopped bypushing the lever 29 right for ward. The continuity of the strip ismaintained by interposing a ruler or fiat bar of iron or any other hardmaterial, having the same width and thickness as the piston and providedwith so many wire guiding channels as there are longitudinal wires, asshown in Fig. 9. Said fiat bar is pushed into the mold by the firstfollowing forward stroke of the piston. The supply or feed is thenrestarted by pulling back the lever 29 and the production of the stripor slabs continued.

Then the ruler or fiat bar, which is pushed along through the mold withthe compressed asphalt, appears at the discharging end of said mold itis removed and the wires cut,

The feed is graduated by the lever 29, each position of whichcorresponding to a definite course of the pawl 24F and rotation of thedistributing or feeding cylinder 22 and therefore also to a definitesupply of asphalt. Then the lever is pushed right forward the feed isstopped and when pulled right back, as shown in Fig. 1, the supply ismaximum.

In the above first position the small lever 29" mounted upon the axle ofthe lever 29 engages the extension 41 of lever 41 of the powderflattening plate or blade 39 and the latter is arrested, (see Fig. 2).

At the start, the strip of asphalt may turn out either insufficiently orexcessively compressed, It is however, of utmost importance that thecompression of the asphalt strip or slabs be absolutely uniform and thatsaid compression be graduated at will, to any hardness required. vThismost important problem is resolved by the rocking plate 10 whichconstitutes a most essential part of the compression mold. A detaileddescription of the working of said rocking plate is given below.

The rocking plate 10 is capable of a slight rocking movement that isimparted thereto at will, with the aid of a lever 20, as shown in Figs.1, i and 6. Said plate may assume various positions more or lessparallel to the plane of the lower plate 8. If tilted downward, thefriction of the compressed mass against the walls of the mold increases,thus rendering the sliding movement or passage of the mass moredifiicult. Said mass therefore is more compressed and its hard.- nessincreased.

Vice versa, if the plate is tilted upward the outlet orifice between theupper plate and lower plate is increased with the result that thecompressed mass will slide more easily, while the necessary pressure aswell as the hardness of the compressed mass will be less. From this itfollows that by moving the plate 10 the pressure exerted upon the massmay be increased or diminished at will, this movement being effected asfollows:

The conductor observes on the wattmeter at the moment of maximumresistance the consumption of energy necessary for each piston stroke.The conductor therefore is capable of controlling whether thisconsumption corresponds to the work to be done.

Should the consumption of energy be too small it sufiices to lower thelever 20 for a f ts only, causing the plate 10 to j tilt downward thusimmediately increasing the pressure upon the mass, which increase and atthe same time the increased pressure will be indicated on the wattmeterby an increased consumption of energy.

Vice versa, if the consumption is excessive and the mass is compressedexcessively, the conductor will raise the lever 20 and thus tilt theplate upward with the result that the outlet orifice for the mass willincrease and the pressure diminish, which will be inclicated on. thewattmeter by a decreased consumption of energy.

By means of this machine not only even surfaces that are adopted in themajority of cases, but also ribbed, curved or the, like surfaces may beobtained. To this end it is merely necessary to employ molds of thedesired shape, provided the cross section is always the same at allpoints ofits length, with the exception of the small beveled and curvedpart of the rocking plate 10 at the entrance of the mold, when it isparallel to the plate 8 and a compression piston of the desired form. pc I The beveled portion of the end of the plate serves the purpose ofalways maintaining during the movements of the rocking plate,

the same distance between this plate and the lower plate 8, thusallowing for the passage of the piston under the rocking plate.

Having now fully described my invention what I desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A machine for manufacturing bituminous material inform suitable for road paving or like purposes comprising a compressionmold for compressing the bituminous material, a charger associated withthe mold, means for heating the material, inlet and outlet orifices tosaid mold, means for forcing the material through the mold, and meansfor increasing or diminishing the freedom of passage of the materialthrough the mold in order to vary the degree of consolidation of theresulting mass of material when it leaves the mold.

2. A machine for manufacturing bituminous material in form suitable forroad paving or like purposes comprising a compression mold forcompressing the bituminous material, a charger associated with the mold,means for heating the material, inlet and outlet orifices to said mold,a rocking plate in said mold, means for forcing the material past therocking plate out of the mold, and means for adjusting said plate inorder to increase or diminish the freedom of passage of the materialthrough the mold in order to vary the degree of consolidation of theresulting mass of material when it leaves the mold.

3. A machine for manufacturing bituminous material in form suitable forroad paving or the like purposes comprising a charger, heating means forthe material, a compression mold for compressing the bituminous materialand a compressing piston fitting into the cavity of said mold whichworks with an alternative forward and backward movement, saidcompressing piston being adapted to push the bituminous material in theform of powder or the like material into the mold and compress the saidpowder against the mass of compressed powder already contained in thesaid mold after overcoming the opposing resistance of said mass caused.by its friction against the walls of the mold. g

4:. A machine for manufacturing bitumituminous material and acompressing piston adapted to operate in said mold and apertures 1n saldpiston for the passage of reinforcing wires or the like therethroughsaid wires or the like constituting a longitudinal reinforcement for themass of material pro---; duced in the mold.

5. A machine for manufacturing bituminous material in form suitable forroad paving and the like purposes comprising a charger, heatingmeans forthe material, a;

compression mold for compressing the bituminous material, a. compressingpiston adapted to operate in said mold and means for supplyingreinforcing members to the mold cavity while the piston is in operation.

6. A machine for manufacturing bituminous material in form suitable forroad paving and the like purposes, comprising a charger, heating meansfor the material, a compression mold for compressing the bituminousmaterial, a compressing piston adapted to operate in said mold, to forcethe material through the mold, feeding means in the charger, and meansfor varying the rate of feed of the material to said mold accordin 1 torequirements.

In a machine for manufacturing bituminous material in form suitable forroad paving and like purposes, the combination with a mold in whichmaterial in powdered form is compressed, of a distributing cylinder forfeeding the material and a shaft fitted with blades which blades engagein grooves in the distributing cylinder thereby removing the powderedmaterial from the grooves and emptying the powder into the inlet orificeof the compression mold.

8. In a machine for manufacturing bitumi nous material in form suitablefor road paving and like purposes, the combination with a heateddistributing cylinder, of a shaft fitted with blades, which bladesengage in grooves in said cylinder for receiving the material to bedeposited into the inlet orifice of the compression mold, a toothedlever for regulating the distribution of the material and anautomatically operated blade for flattening the material deposited inthe inlet orifice of the mold before the material is pushed into themold by the compressing piston.

9. In a machine for manufacturing bituminous material in form suitablefor road paving and like purposes, the combination with a mold forcompressing the material, having free inlet and outlet orifices, of arocking plate for increasing and diminishing at will the outlet orificefor the material and therefore to increase and diminish the difficultyof the discharge of the material, a piston for compressing the materialin the cavity of the mold, actuating means for the piston which providean alternative forward and back- Ward movement thereof and serving thepurpose of introducing the material to the inlet 'cavity of the mold,and also to press the material against the mass already contained in themold to such an extent as to overcome the resistance of said mass, and amotor for moving the compressing piston and mechmold and to obtainapiece of paving material of predetermined thickness, means forintroducing into the bituminous material longitudinal and transversereinforcing material and means for causing a backward movement of themachine proportional to the discharge of material from the mold.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses. I i

v JUAN MUGIOA.

itnesses: V

FRANZ SOHULZE, I-IU o RAHLENBEOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of ratenfts,

Washington, D. (3.

